I’ve been holding back tears for about two weeks, ever since Yeasayer announced a summer tour and failed to schedule a stop in DC. Fortunately the Brooklyn boys, who have been sitting silent since debuting “The Devil and the Deed” on Conan a year ago, have been dropping hints left and right on Twitter about new music. This week, they more than made good on those hints (sigh of relief, as lying on Twitter is akin to lying in church in my book) by sending out free CDs of the track “Henrietta” to fans on the mailing list. Since Yeasayer soundtracked my graduation back in 2010, I’ve been wondering what I would have written in their yearbook, and I’m pretty sure I would have gone with the simple and effective NEVER CHANGE. “Henrietta” proves they haven’t yet.

STREAM: Yeasayer – “Henrietta”

YouTube: Chart toppers collide when fun. and Paramore’s Hayley Williams cover Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” for the BBC.

HypeBot: Experts say that FTC approval of Universal’s purchase of EMI is a “toss up.”

P4K: Hot Chip throws down on Live with Jools Holland.

Stereogum: The XX preview a new song at a low-key show last night in London.

NME: Like lists? The British mag picks their top 100 songs of the 90s.

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L.A. singer-songwriter Sam Kang‘s new video for “Love Drama” relates a story that literally jumps from the pages of a book. The whimsical stop-motion narrative sees our 2-D hero burst out of his paper prison to pursue love in three dimensions. The tiny character traverses an expansive living room, slipping through other stories and battling dragons and evil knights in one of the most quirky and adorable hero’s journeys ever put to screen. The fanciful lightheartedness perfectly matches the sweet rhythms of the song, whose laid-back melodies would be at home on any number of late-2000 indie-pop hits.

Pay what you’d like for a download of the song at Noise Trade.

If you’re looking for the perfect summer soundtrack, look no further than Austen Afridi, a.k.a Viceroy. Afridi originally hails from the East Coast, but you wouldn’t know it from his summer-fueled music. In late 2011, he released his Sunburn EP, four original tracks of cool and refreshing musical bliss. He’s also been staying busy with his “Jet Life” remix series, which features amazing artists like Breakbot, YELLE and St. Lucia. If you’ve got your mind right, you’ll be sure to add Viceroy to your list of ones to watch. He’s well on his way to becoming a household name.

Don’t miss Viceroy this Thursday alongside Le Castle Vania and Ghost beach at U Street Music Hall for All Things Gold 010. Limited tickets available HERE.

STREAM: Viceroy & WhiteNoize – “Only Takes (Original Mix)”

DOWNLOAD: St. Lucia – Closer Than This (Viceroy Remix)

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NME: Jay-Z is planning on asking Obama to perform at his ‘Budweiser Made In America’ festival this September in Philly.

Pitchfork: Azealia Banks sheds light on her upcoming 1991 EP; reveals awesome album art.

RollingStone: Keith Richards not to join Mick Jagger on SNL.

HypeBot: Two Brooklyn festivals that embody the ‘indie’ spirit: Mass Creation & Northside.

Billboard: Lil Wayne settles $1.5 million lawsuit filed by producer David Kirkwood.

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Bay Area indie pop duo Midi Matilda may have released the Red Light District EP back in February, but members Logan Grimé and Skyler Kilborn have slowly built up recognition around the blogosphere with their video for “Day Dreams.”

Grimé and Kilborn met at college in 2008 and have been making music together ever since. The video for “Day Dreams,” a cut off the Red Light District EP, has garnered attention from The Huffington Post, Neon Gold, and Pretty Much Amazing. Earlier in the year, San Francisco’s Live 105 even crowned Midi Matilda one of the best local bands of 2012. And after watching the video, it’s easy to see what the hype is about. Against reverberating, fluctuating falsetto vocals, bright piano chords, and a punchy drum beat, Grimé and Kilborn are projected onto 3,300 different photos of the Bay Area that create a stop motion video in the background. The video was shot over a period of 10 nights in San Fran and Berkeley, CA and it was edited by Grimé.

You can download a name-your-own-price copy of Midi Matilda’s Red Light District EP on the duo’s Bandcamp page.

MP3: Midi Matilda – “Day Dreams”

Jean-Philip Grobler, the creative force behind Brooklyn-based St. Lucia, has released a video for “Before The Dive,” a track off his debut self-titled EP. The record is the first album release for Neon Gold — as part of a joint venture with Columbia Records – and if you’ve heard any of St. Lucia’s bubbly, synth-heavy pop tunes, it’s easy to see why they kicked things off with Mr. Grobler.

St. Lucia’s electro pop anthems are throwbacks to inspirations like early Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, and Peter Gabriel, splashed with Grobler’s South African roots layered into the music. These influences are easy to hear in “Before The Dive”; reverberating piano chords, a heavy bass drum beat, and soaring vocals make for another shimmering ’80s pop-inspired addition to the EP.

The video follows two faceless lovers, whose first kiss takes a cataclysmic turn for the worse. You can watch the visually stunning piece above.

STREAM: St. Lucia – “Before The Dive”

You gamers out there might remember the Nintendo game Castlevania where your mission was to slay vampires and other undead creatures. That was fun, wasn’t it? Well I’m not talking about that, but instead Atlanta native Dylan Eiland’s project, Le Castle Vania. What started off as a joke with some friends about creating a band after the video game stuck and now LCV is one of the most well-known electronic music producers in the game. Once upon a time Dylan might’ve been driving stakes through the hearts of the undead, but for the last twelve years he’s been destroying dance floors with his remixes and originals. I had the chance to talk to Dylan before he brings his energetic set to U Street Music Hall this Thursday for the tenth All Things Gold installment with Viceroy and Ghost Beach. Limited tickets available HERE. Full interview after the jump.

DOWNLOAD: Le Castle Vania – “Radio Control Mixtape Vol.1″

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Onuinu (pronounced “On you in you”) is Portland’s newest up-and-comer, Dorian Duvall. “Happy Home,” off his debut LP Mirror Gazer, weaves the shimmery strands of disco through heady hip-hop beats to create a unique friendship bracelet of a genre he likes to call “Disco-Hop.” Upbeat and laid back at the same time, just like a steamy summer night. “I hope you’re around when I’m in town,” he repeats like something out of a dream, and unfortunately his visit to my town will have to stay in my dreams for now, since his tour with YACHT this summer stays almost exclusively in the southernmost states of our great country. Catch the dates here, and start summer early with “Happy Home,” below.

MP3: Onuinu – “Happy Home”

NBC: Usher got the voice that make the booty go *smack*, shares it on SNL.

Stereogum: Four Tet gives Neneh Cherry the remix treatment.

Neon Gold: New Mr. Little Jeans? New Mr. Little Jeans. New Mr. Little Jeans!

CoS: A thorough review of the new Garbage album.

Purple Sneaker: Flight Facilities’ new Daft Punk/Megaman-inspired video for “Grosvenor.”

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